


Wall and Crown

by Chef_Geekier



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Erebor Never Fell, Alternate Universe - No One Ring, Arranged Marriage, Dwobbits, M/M, Multi, Romance-novel Style Sex Scene, Threesome, mild homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-04 22:57:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3095687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chef_Geekier/pseuds/Chef_Geekier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a treaty is struck between the Shire and Erebor, Thorin suggests an alliance marriage to cement the deal. He's a little surprised to find out that the hobbits don't approve of being royalty - they think it's a waste of time. The Thain doesn't want one of his relatives being burdened with becoming a Queen or Consort.</p><p>Balin suggests that Dwalin be the dwarf instead, which seems to settle things. Unbeknownst to everyone else though, Dwalin's already in a secret relationship with Nori, Erebor's spymaster. With Nori out on assignment, Dwalin has no excuse for not going through with the marriage. Even though it kills him inside to give up Nori, he will do as his king commands, and will honour his spouse.</p><p>When Nori gets back and meets the hobbit who married his lover, things don't exactly go as planned for anyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, another of those 'arranged marriages' AUs, because I never get sick of the trope but haven't written one yet.
> 
> Tags will be updated as things occur.
> 
> Title is the name of a pretty three-strand knot that makes a ball shape on the end of a rope. I can just imagine Nori using a sturdy one as an improvised weapon.
> 
> On formatting: the chunks in italics are the letter that Balin has sent.
> 
> Edit: Cover art done by the lovely Amoredition (http://amoredition.livejournal.com/3022.html) over on Livejournal. Go to her post and tell her how good it is!

 

[ ](http://s304.photobucket.com/user/amoredition/media/wallandcrown-FINAL_zpstgyhn48m.jpg.html)

 

Thorin was confused.

 Most dwarves in Erebor agreed that Thorin was a good king, fair in his dealings and never one to back away from defending his people. There were plenty, however, who agreed that politics was not his strong point. Thankfully he surrounded himself with advisors who could make up for this shortcoming. Usually that worked quite well.

 The current situation, however, was just as perplexing to Thorin's sister Dis. The situation being hobbits.

 More specifically, the treaty that Balin was attempting to negotiate with the Thain of the Shire, where the clever little farmers lived. The hobbits' expertise in growing food was desperately needed in Erebor itself, and trade between the Shire and Ered Luin was just as important. As such, Thorin had been prepared to offer a marriage alliance to help solidify the agreements – after all, from his point of view the dwarves were getting the most out of the potential deal. A marriage would help to reinforce the dwarven promise of martial aid should the Shire ever come under attack, as the hobbits would be considered kin of the ruling family. With himself and his two heirs unwed, Thorin had not thought there would be an issue.

 Until he'd received the puzzling missive from Balin, that was.

  _The Thain, after some discussion, has agreed that a marriage may be beneficial. He has a few stipulations, many of which are standard and I have agreed to without concern. The others, however, I believe you must consider for yourself._

  _One is that the hobbit who enters this agreement must be given an area in the mountain with access to soil and sunlight. The Thain has stressed the importance of this for the health of hobbits. I believe that we should be able to accommodate this request._

 “Hobbits are odd creatures, aren't they?” Dis had murmured after reading that part of the letter. “But... Amad's gardens have... deteriorated I the last few years. Perhaps...”

 “Perhaps a hobbit's attention could have them flourish again,” Thorin nodded. His mother had been better with growing things than most dwarves, and her greatest treasure had been the private gardens her husband had had installed for her as a wedding gift. It would not be difficult to ensure that the hobbit had access to them.

 That decided, they continued.

  _The second stipulation also regards the wellbeing of the intended. The Thain asks that the chosen hobbit be given a trial period for living in the mountain, with the option of returning to the Shire if they cannot adjust to the different lifestyle. He has agreed that should this happen, any treaties will still be honoured. I see no problem agreeing to this, as he is merely looking after the mental wellbeing of his kin._

 “That sounds reasonable,” Throin shrugged. Dis nodded her agreement.

 “I imagine it will be something of a shock for whoever comes, living amongst strangers with none of their own kin nearby. A reassurance that they may leave if needed could help them decide to stay.”

 It was the third request, though, that puzzled the royal siblings.

  _In my discussions with the hobbits, it has become apparent that they hold little respect for the title of 'king'. They regard royal duties as largely a waste of time, an inconvenience that gets in the way of getting anything useful done._

 There were times when Thorin would agree with this assessment.

  _As such, the Thain has requested that should a marriage take place, it not be between either yourself for your immediate heir, and that any potential children should not be high in the line of succession. Additionally, hobbits do not live as long as dwarves, so the Thain has requested that any potential dwarven partner be well into their adult years._

 This was the confusing part. The hobbits didn't want a king or potential king marrying one of their own? They were willing – demanding, even – to forego the prestige that would come with a hobbit being Queen or Consort? Having children not be in the direct line of succession was probably a good thing, as having a mixed-race monarch could lead to political problems, but it was odd that the hobbits had brought it up.

 “Very odd creatures,” Dis frowned. “This immediately excludes you, Fili and Kili. It cannot be me.” As a widow with children, Dis was not eligible for an alliance marriage. If she ever fell in love again Thorin would give her permission to wed, but it was not proper for this situation. “Who else is able? One of our further cousins?”

 Thorin skimmed the next passage, then froze.

 “It would seem Balin has already considered a suitable match.”

  _As this situation is unusual, I have taken the time to meet with the few hobbits willing to consider a dwarven marriage in an attempt to find suitable match. I believe that I may have found the answer. With the knowledge that my line have long been advisors to the kings of Erebor, the Thain has agreed to the possibility of a marriage between his grandchild and my brother Dwalin. If this meets with your approval, I will begin negotiations with the hobbit in question._

 There was silence as the siblings considered the request. Dwalin was indeed of the same bloodline as them, distant enough for most to not consider him royalty but close enough that he was still eligible for an alliance marriage. He was also the head of Erebor's martial forces, overseeing the city watch as well as the palace guards. He was a large, violent, intimidating dwarf, battle-scarred and tattooed. Thorin tried to picture him married to a hobbit, a small butterball more adept with a trowel than a sword.

 “Is Balin serious?” Dis asked, looking just as bewildered. Thorin guessed she'd been trying to picture it as well, with the same lack of success.

 “He would not have suggested it unless he thought it could work,” Thorin shrugged. After a minute of deliberation, he crossed to the study door and opened it. Outside his guard stood to attention, while further along a page was sitting against the wall. Thorin beckoned the page closer.

 “Fetch Dwalin for me. Tell him I require his advice.”

 The page ran off quickly and Thorin returned to his desk, Dis still reading the letter. There wasn't much more to it.

 “Do you think he could be happy?” Dis asked after a moment. “I've never heard Dwalin speak of settling down with someone.”

 “I do not know,” Thorin shook his head. “It is his duty to follow my command, but... I will not force him to go through with it if he really is unhappy. At least there will be a trial period for the hobbit, perhaps we should consider it a trial period for Dwalin as well. If they cannot get along, let them out of the marriage.”

 Dis nodded, and the conversation turned to the logistics of moving a hobbit to Erebor, what would need to be done in preparation. Several minutes passed before there was a firm knock on the door and Dwalin's voice announcing himself.

 Thorin and Dis shared a final glance, and Thorin called his old friend into the room, not looking forward to the conversation in the slightest.


	2. The Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin is told of Balin's proposal, and weighs his options.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback guys, and feel free to let me know if you spot any mistakes, particularly with typos - I don't have a beta for this fandom, so mistakes do slip through.
> 
> CONCERNING THE 'MILD HOMOPHOBIA' TAG:  
> In this particular 'verse, it recently legal for homosexual characters to be together, and the common folk are generally pleased with this. The nobles/council members are generally not pleased. (So it's similar to the current/recent situation in many countries) This has been one of the factors in Dwalin and Nori's relationship being secret. Dwalin and Nori are both bisexual.
> 
> There will most likely be no confrontations regarding this, but I figured I should warn for the situation just in case. If anything specific happens in later chapters I will warn for it.

Dwalin wasn't nervous when Thorin sent for him. There were so many reasons his king would, and the page hadn't seemed unsettled like he would be if Thorin was in danger – or in a rage.

When he stepped into Thorin's office and neither the king nor Dis would meet his eye, however, he started to get uneasy.

“Dwalin, thank you for coming,” Dis broke the silence with a glance at her brother. “We have a rather serious matter that needs your input.”

“I am yours to command,” Dwalin responded, as he always did when given a task by the royal siblings. Thorin cleared his throat before continuing.

“You are aware, I believe, that Balin has been negotiating an alliance with the hobbits?” At Dwalin's nod, Thorin pressed on. “As part of that, we offered a marriage alliance. However, the hobbits have some... rather unique views regarding royalty.”

As Thorin continued outlining the situation, Dwalin felt as though his insides were knotting together. The idea of him being put forward for a political marriage was laughable – except Thorin wasn't laughing.

When the king finished explaining, there was silence. After a minute had passed, Dis leaned forward and gently patted Dwalin's arm.

“We know that this is a lot to ask of you. We don't expect an answer right now.”

“We need to send an answer back first thing in the morning,” Thorin said. “Take the rest of the day off. Return here after the evening meal, and if you can give me a reason not to accept I will listen.”

Dwalin nodded, not trusting his voice, then bowed and left the office. Outwardly, he gave no indication of his state of mind. On the inside, however, he was railing against the fates for putting him in this position.

By the time he reached the training grounds and attacked the practice dummy, there was one clear thought in his head.

_Nori, you couldn't have picked a worse time to go undercover._

~*~

Three obliterated dummies later, Dwalin was at last able to sit and think clearly about the situation. Thorin had offered him a way out, but Dwalin knew he couldn't take it. As far as anyone else was concerned, Dwalin had no reason not to go through with the marriage.

For while he loved Nori, had done for decades, the two had made no promises to each other. Nori had risen from a thief to a spy to become the Spymaster of Erebor, and he could not afford for anyone to find out that he had attachments. He had a hard enough time keeping his second life away from his brothers who didn't know about it, he couldn't exactly keep Dwalin out of his questionable dealings if they were truly together.

On top of that, it was still generally frowned upon, at least in the higher social circles, for two males to be together. Thorin himself had overturned the laws that called it immoral and worthy of death early in his reign, much to the delight of the commoners. The nobles, on the other hand, had fought him hammer and tong.

If they found out that Dwalin refused an important alliance marriage because he was in an on/off gay relationship with the Spymaster – and his partner would come out if anyone questioned him under oath – it would be a political nightmare for Thorin. Dwalin would not bring that sort of scrutiny to his king and friend.

Dwalin's only solace was that at least he did not exclusively desire males. Even if he could never give his intended his whole heart, at least he would still be able to do his duty.

With a heavy heart, Dwalin once again entered Thorin's office. He could see the tension in his friend's stance, and let it fuel his resolve. Dwalin was loyal to his king. He would do whatever he could to ease the burdens Thorin carried.

“I will marry the halfling,” Dwalin declared without preamble.

Some of the tension left Thorin's frame, and his expression softened the slightest bit.

“I thank you, my friend. And I am sorry. I never thought I'd have to ask this of you.”

“I know,” Dwalin huffed a dry laugh. “Not what I was expecting either, but you have my word that I will treat my spouse with honour.”

“That was never in question,” Thorin assured him. “Ad least it's Balin choosing form the hobbits. He knows your tastes I'm sure, and he'll find someone you can care for in time.”

“Perhaps,” Dwalin agreed. _But he won't select a smart-mouthed, red-haired dwarf with clever fingers. You'll never have Nori again._

What Dwalin had said was true. He would honour his spouse. Whether or not he ever found love in his marriage, he would not be unfaithful.

The hobbit was leaving their home and kin to be with him. No matter how his heart ached, he would not give them a reason to regret it.


	3. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin and Bilbo finally meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, it's been decided - for this story, it's going to be Fem!Bilbo. However, I'm most likely going to do a male Bilbo version once this one is done, possibly for the Hobbit Big Bang over on LJ, since the plots will diverge pretty quickly.
> 
> Now that we have the meeting between these two, Nori should come along either next chapter or the chapter after.
> 
> The next chapter will be basic getting-to-know you, which should explain some of the changes I've made to the world. If you have specific questions, leave them in the comments and I'll try to have them addressed.

The next five months passed both too slowly and too quickly for Dwalin. He could not explain how this happened, but it was true. When he wished for more time to enjoy the last of his bachelorhood, it seemed to fly past. On the days he wished that he could just get married and be done with it already, time slowed to a crawl. It was as if Mahal was enjoying watching him squirm.

 There were of course still things to do before his intended reached the mountain. Dwalin's work took up many hours, especially since he would take a month off before the wedding to get to know his hobbit and help them adjust to life in the mountain, followed by a week-long honeymoon afterwards. It was tradition for the newly-wed couple to shut themselves away with no outside communication for several days following the wedding, and Dwalin just hoped that he and the hobbit got along well enough with each other after so much time in forced seclusion.

 In his spare time, Dwalin alternated between going out drinking with his friends, helping the princes with their combat training, and assisting with the restoration of Queen Freja's gardens. While they left the garden plots for the hobbit to deal with, the paths were cleared and the small workshops repaired and restocked. There had been several storms since the gardens had last seen use, with little effort put into maintenance. It ha simply been too painful for Thrain.

 Finally, the day Dwalin had been both dreading and anticipating arrived. He was overseeing Fili's swords training with Thorin when a messenger from Dale arrived with the news that Balin's party were on their way. Thorin spared a glance at his friend and a slight smirk appeared.

 “Dwalin, go bathe. Let's try and make a decent impression and pretend to be civilised, hm? I'll have someone bring you to the hobbit's quarters once they've settled in a bit.”

 Dwalin was pretty sure it was Dis who had originally suggested that, since Thorin was in no position to point fingers when it came to social niceties – they'd known each other pretty much since Dwalin was born, he knew all of Thorin's secrets – but merely grunted in agreement. Fighting all morning had worked up quite a sweat, and despite his mixed feelings regarding the marriage he didn't want to scare the hobbit with his appearance. So he went back to his quarters and set about washing up and fixing his hair and beard.

 Just as he was re-sheathing his weapons, he heard the knock on his door. Opening it, he was greeted with one of the palace's pages.

 “Your brother requests your presence,” the page spoke as he bowed respectfully. Dwalin nodded and gestured with one hand, a 'lead on' hand-wave.

 It didn't take long to reach the hobbit's quarters. The page bowed again, then settled on the floor a few paces down from the door. With a final breath, Dwalin steeled himself and knocked.

 Several heartbeats passed before the door opened, revealing Balin. Dwalin smiled easily at his older brother and held out his arms for the other to clasp. Whatever else had happened, it had been almost a year since they'd last seen each other, and Dwalin had missed him.

 “It's good to see you Brother,” Balin smiled back. Clasping each other's forearms, the dwarves leaned back briefly before smashing their heads together.

 Dwalin's grin just grew stronger when Balin stumbled back a step. The older dwarf stood up to Dwalin's strength better than most, but the fact remained that he was one of the strongest dwarves in the mountain.

 “Well,” Balin fussed, straightening his clothes, “let's introduce you. Follow me.” With that he led the way further into the chambers, into the study off the living area.

 When he stepped over the threshold and first saw the hobbit, Dwalin's heart didn't skip a beat, his breath didn't catch, or any other romantic twaddle. Instead he quickly ran his gaze over the little being, and acknowledged that yes, his brother did know his type.

 The lass – and with curves like that she could only be a lass – was small, but not child-like. While she did seem a little nervous, Dwalin couldn't see any signs of outright fear. She stood straight-backed, chin held high as she gazed back at him. Her clothes were travel-worn but clean, which could be said about the hobbit herself as well. Tawny curls fell just below her shoulders, framing a pleasant face. On one side her hair was tucked behind a pointed ear. Not elf-like, more like the broad leaves that fell from the trees in Dale when the seasons turned, and Dwalin decided that it was more exotic than strange. While the lack of beard was somewhat unusual, Dwalin found he didn't mind too much. Instead he was trying to work out what colour her eyes were – they seemed to be a mix of several shades.

 In all, it wasn't love at first sight – but she was appealing enough. Dwalin just hopped that her personality would match. With that thought, Dwalin bowed to his potential bride.

 “Dwalin, son of Fundin, at your service.”

 When he straightened, the lass curtseyed as well.

 “Bilberry Baggins at yours. But most people call me Bilbo.”

 ~*~

 Bilberry 'Bilbo' Baggins would be the first to admit that the last few moths had been difficult. The first time her grandfather had suggested that she meet Balin to discuss marrying a dwarf, she'd said no. The same thing happened the second time. Then she'd finally agreed just to make the Old Took stop asking.

 To her surprise, Balin had been polite and charming, and despite her est efforts Bilbo found herself wondering what it might be like, living amongst dwarves. When he discussed his brother – her potential suitor – Bilbo couldn't help liking the sound of him. Still she had been apprehensive about moving across Arda to marry someone she'd never met.

 The Old Took, canny as he was, had sensed her nerves and had pushed for a trial period. When this was explained to he, along with the rest of the circumstances, Bilbo had finally agreed. It would help the dwarves, it would potentially help the Shire, and she didn't really have much holding her back. She'd packed what she could of her belongings, with the assurance that more could be fetched if needed, and left the care of her smial to her gardener. The Gamgees would watch over her home for however long she needed.

 The journey to Erebor was tedious, but they avoided trouble. Bilbo was comforted by the fact that she was travelling with trained Dwarven warriors. Along the way she became friends with Balin's apprentice, Ori – a bookish lad working to become a scribe. Together they whiled away the long hours trading stories they'd read, or occasionally made up in Bilbo's case.

 While Bilbo had enjoyed seeing some of the wonders of Middle-Earth, she had been relieved to arrive in Dale late one evening, where they'd stopped for a final night so they could reach Erebor at a reasonable hour the next day.

 And now she was meeting her future husband for the first time.

 She had to swallow hard at the first sight of the dwarf who followed Balin into the study He was enormous – the tallest dwarf she'd ever seen, and thickly muscled on top of that. His dark, wiry hair was unbraided, like Balin's, though the top of his head was bald. He had several tattoos and scars covering his visible skin, and wore his weapons proudly.

 Despite all of this, though, Bilbo didn't feel afraid of him. She met his eyes when he looked at her, and saw his face soften a little into a smile. It was this that put her at ease, and when he bowed she was able to give the proper response. Balin nodded at her from behind Dwalin, seeming pleased she'd got it right. When Dwalin spoke it was a pleasing rumble.

 “Well met then, Bilbo. I trust there was no trouble on the road?”

 “No,” Bilbo shook her head. “The guards with us were very well trained.”

 That seemed to please Dwalin, and she remembered that he was the head of the guards. He may have been the one to train them.

 “I'm glad. Are the quarters to your satisfaction?”

 “Yes, they're lovely. I wasn't expecting so much, to be honest. They're quite grand.”

 “You're doing us a great service,” Dwalin shook his head. “You've left your home to help us. That makes you honoured. When...” he paused, glanced at the floor, then met her eyes again. “When we are wed, I shall move here with you. My rooms are not suitable for wedded couple.”

 Bilbo felt herself flush a little at the reminder, but found she didn't mind. Indeed, it was rather sweet that so much thought had been put into making her feel comfortable.

 “Have you been shown your garden?” Dwalin asked then, and Bilbo perked up.

 “No, just these rooms really.”

 “Then may I escort you there? I hope you'll approve.” The large dwarf held out his arm, and Bilbo smiled as she slid her hand into the crook of his arm.

 “I would like that.”


	4. The Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo and Dwalin visit the garden. Balin talks to Thorin and Dis.
> 
> And far to the East, Nori hears whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I'm currently in Melbourne for Arcanacon, so writing's gotten neglected. I'm working on a picture for Bilbo's garden, so that'll get added in later.

Balin had excused himself, so Dwalin was alone with the hobbit for the first time. He kept his steps shorter than usual so that she could keep up, but found he didn't mind. Watching Bilbo's face as she took in the splendour of Erebor was a gratifying distraction.

 “Back in the Shire,” Bilbo was chattering easily, “we hobbits tend to live in smials, homes that we dig out of hills. I admit I thought that Erebor might be similar to the Great Smials that house many generations of families all together. It's not, though – it really is a city within a mountain.”

 “It's grown over time,” Dwalin explained. “In some of the old or poor parts, dwarrow have just carved rooms out of the rock. Parts of the palace are like that as well.” Bilbo looked impressed, so he continued. “The style changed with the generations. When Erebor was first claimed the building methods were still primitive, so they only carved out a room at a time. As our knowledge of stonework grew, so did our architecture.

 “When Erebor was deserted, a lot of damage was done as no one was there to maintain it. By the time King Thror decided to resettle, it was easiest to just begin from scratch. The dwarves hollowed out levels of the mountain and built the city.”

 “That's amazing,” Bilbo murmured, clearly fascinated. “Do you know a lot of dwarven history? I'd love to learn more – I've always been interested in other cultures and races.”

 “Ah, not really,” Dwalin scrubbed a hand over his head, a little embarrassed. “I know about our military history... and bits and pieces of Erebor's. If you want to learn more, Balin's the scholar in the family.”

 “That's all right,” Bilbo smiled at him, patting his arm where her hand still rested. “I don't know much about battles and fighting. I wouldn't mind learning, though.”

 Dwalin glanced at Bilbo, and bit back his thoughts. _Of course you know nothing of war. That's part of why we're to be wed!_

 “I'll see what I can do,” he said instead. “I'm not much of a book-learning teacher. If you want to learn to fight, I'll train you. I'm better at the hands-on stuff.”

 “Perhaps I should,” Bilbo hummed thoughtfully. “I don't like the idea of taking a life, but Ori said that fighting is a large part of dwarven culture, so I might have to participate in competitions in the future.”

 “Aye, that it is. Every dwarf goes through basic training before they come of age, and most join the army or guards for a few years at least. We're a race built for fighting.”

 “I believe it,” he heard Bilbo mutter as her hand briefly tightened on his arm. Dwalin glanced at her, and smirked when he saw her blushing. “I, I'm sorry, that wasn't exactly proper.”

 “Not like I mind,” Dwalin assured her, placing his hand over hers briefly. “I'd certainly hope that you find me appealing in some manner.”

 At that, Bilbo just flushed harder.

 ~*~

 Bilbo was quite embarrassed, but before she could talk her way out they arrived at a long, wide hall. One side of the hall was made up of a series of arches which led outside, and Bilbo smiled at the feeling of sunlight and a fresh breeze on her face.

 “Your garden,” Dwalin grunted, and Bilbo detached herself from him to investigate further.

 Stepping out from under an archway, Bilbo found herself on a paved path. The path ran around the outside of the large garden, and also wound amongst the garden beds. Many were raised, with stone borders which could double as seats. These had been cleared of plants, but as she ran her fingers through the soil Bilbo thought it still felt good. Of the beds which were at ground level, most contained a rather lush grass. A few also held trees or bushes, and Bilbo thought she recognised a few fruit-bearing ones.

 As she wandered further, Bilbo saw that the garden was surrounded by a wall that reached her shoulder, so while she could see a great distance, she was in no danger of accidentally falling down the mountain. That suited her just fine. Also at one edge sat a series of small buildings, which she guessed were garden sheds.

 All told, it was far more than she'd expected to have living in a mountain amongst dwarves. She turned back to Dwalin, not even trying to stop the wide smile that formed.

 “It's perfect,” she assured the dwarf, who gave a small smile in return. “I'll need to research what grows well in this part of the world, and start planning what should go where, but it truly is wonderful.”

 “I'm glad,” Dwalin nodded. “You should... I hope you can be happy here.”

 Bilbo looked at him, considering. She certainly hadn't expected some rude brute, not after her conversations with Balin, but she had been nervous about meeting her future husband. Dwalin had been a lovely surprise, for although he was blunt and straightforward, he had also been quite kind and accommodating. He was also physically appealing, even if the amount and placement of hair was unusual, and he was smarter than he appeared.

 “I think we can make this work,” she assured him with a smile. She moved towards him and rose up on tip-toes to brush a kiss against his whiskery cheek.

 To her great delight, Dwalin looked a little embarrassed – but his hands still came up to steady her waist.

 ~*~

 Balin knocked on the King's study, and was given permission to enter. He bumped foreheads with Thorin and Dis, pleased to see his cousins again.

 “Well?” Thorin asked, getting straight to the point.

 “They seemed to get along,” Balin nodded, and he could see a little tension leave the siblings. “Dwalin has gone to show her the garden.”

 “And the halfling herself?”

 “Miss Bilbo Baggins,” Balin corrected. “It is apparently something of an insult to call a hobbit 'halfling', I'd suggest not calling her that.”

 “Of course,” Dis nodded. “Do you think she'll adjust?”

 “It's hard to say,” Balin frowned. “She's fond of the comforts of home, and hobbits are generally a softer race, but she has proved quite adaptable during the journey. She is something of a scholar, and enjoys her books and learning about the world. I believe that, if she sees out the first year, she will find a place here permanently.”

 “That is promising,” Thorin responded. “Keep an eye on her. Do you think she will adjust to court life?”

 “I watched her with some of the events in the Shire,” Balin smiled. “Miss Baggins has learned to deal with organising large amounts of relatives, and is fairly diplomatic in her dealings with them. I believe that she could be a great asset, especially when dealing with the elves. When we travelled through Rivendell, she became quite friendly with Lord Elrond.”

 As always, the mention of elves brought a slight frown to Thorin's face, but he quickly let it go. The relationship between dwarves and elves was distant – while there were no outright hostilities, they tended to avoid dealing with each other if they could. The stop in Rivendell had mostly been out of deference to Bilbo's lack of experience in travelling.

 They had avoided Thranduil's kingdom in the Greenwood, though. Balin still wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason the elven king had never gotten along with Thror – which had translated to disagreements with both Thrain and Thorin.

 “Finally, someone competent is joining the family,” Dis commented drily. Thorin sent her a half-hearted glare, which she brushed off easily. Balin couldn't help the private thought that it was somewhat true – dwarves were not natural diplomats, so having someone who was would be a much appreciated addition.

 ~*~

 Many miles away, in a small village in Rhun, a dwarf sat playing cards. His opponents were a mix of men and dwarves, and their currency was not coin but information. This particular dwarf had a mass of hair done up in an elaborate style which, for the casual observer, took attention away from his face – and hands.

 When the game eventually broke up, Nori returned to the bar. He'd collected some important news, more than he'd been expecting. His assignment was done, and he could head back to Erebor whenever he wanted. It had been eight months since he'd been there. Eight months since he'd seen his brothers.

 Eight months since he'd seen Dwalin.

 Lost in plans for what he'd do to his lover when he finally go back, Nori almost missed it. Thankfully certain words always made him focus on what was being said. As soon as the word 'Erebor' was uttered, Nori was paying attention.

 “...alliance with some country out West.”

 “West? Think it's with the Blue Mountain dwarves?”

 “Nah, that's why it's weird, it's not with any dwarf clan. And get this – it's the Captain of the Guard who's doing the alliance marriage!”

 “That old warhorse? Damn. Wouldn't mind having a go at him myself.”

 “Are you insane? He'd snap you in half with one hand.”

 A sense of unease started to build within Nori. He was sure that there was some sort of mistake. His Dwalin wouldn't get married for an alliance...

 Would he?

 Nori rose and settled his bill. It was probably just a case of exaggeration. Either way, it was high time in he went back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few setting notes:
> 
> * In canon, Erebor was deserted a few kings ago and then re-settled by Thror. That's been kept here.
> 
> * Rhun is the land to the East, roughly the equivalent of Asia, where the Easterlings and four of the dwarven clans live.
> 
> * Dwalin's not an idiot. He's just not particularly interested in reading/book learning, but he's picked up a lot of information over the years, particularly things about Erebor that Balin's told him.
> 
> * Bilbo's accepting of the fact she may need to learn to fight, purely because Ori's stressed the competition aspect. She's not keen on actual fighting or the idea of going into battle, but Dwalin's going to make sure she's ready just in case.
> 
> As always, I love to hear feedback/suggestions/questions.


	5. The Lead-up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili and Kili are little shits who are more perceptive than they let on, and they want their hobbit to be happy. Bilbo and Dwalin get to know each other a little better, and Dwalin lets go of some fears about taking a hobbit as a wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters are getting longer! Yay! Arcanacon was fun. Then I spent several hours sitting in my friends' back yard writing most of this chapter. Enjoy.

Like most young girls, Bilbo had imagined getting married when she'd been a child. She'd pictured the dress, the flowers, the food, being surrounded by family. She'd sighed with her friends as they all imagined dancing with their husbands – and later blushed while thinking about what would come _after_ the dancing.  
  
Then life happened, and Bilbo was too busy to devote too much time to idle daydreams. She'd courted a few times, but no one really captured her interest, or her heart. So she'd put away childish dreams and resigned herself to becoming an old maid.  
  
 _Then_ , of course, dwarves happened.  
  
In the month leading up to the wedding, Bilbo was rushed off her feet. Dwalin was often by her side, helping her to adjust to life in the mountain, but after the first visit to the garden they were rarely alone together. Balin was often present, helping to explain to Bilbo about dwarven culture. Sometimes Ori came as well, though the young dwarf didn't linger if Dwalin was present. Bilbo asked Dwalin about it after a hurried exit, and was surprised to see him look embarrassed.  
  
“During my days on patrol I have to arrest dwarves who are breaking the law. Ori has two brothers, Dori and Nori. Dori's a fine citizen, always done his best to take care of his brothers after their mam died. Nori, however, is /not/ a fine citizen. Must've arrested him a dozen times or more. Not that he ever stayed in a cell for long. Either Dori'd pay his bail or he'd slip out somehow.”  
  
“Is he dangerous?” Bilbo asked, concerned. “Ori's such a sweet lad, it's hard to picture his family being criminals.”  
  
“Ori's fine,” Dwalin reassured her. “Bright lad, he'll go far. As far as I know, Nori's never gone in for violent crimes. He's a petty thief, not a killer.”  
  
She couldn't say why, but something about the conversation didn't seem right to Bilbo. There was just something about the way Dwalin spoke about Nori. It wasn't anger. It was almost... regret.  
  
After thinking for a while, Bilbo was forced to put the conversation out of her head and focus on other things. She had her first meeting with King Thorin, and found him to be extremely blunt and mildly terrifying. He seemed incapable of calling her by her name, instead calling her 'hobbit' constantly. There were times when she thought he started to say 'halfling', but he always cut himself off. She also met Princess Dis, who was much more friendly even if she was just as blunt as her brother.  
  
The highlight, though, was meeting Dis' two sons Fili and Kili. While the boys were older than her, they still acted like tweens, and their antics made everyone around them smile – even if it was also tinged with exasperation.  
  
A week before the wedding, when Dwalin was sparring against Fili, Bilbo sat talking with Kili and Ori. The scribe was much more willing to be in Dwalin's presence when the princes were there to act as a buffer. They were discussing hobbit wedding traditions, which Ori was fascinated by. Kili generally wasn't interested in the traditions and ceremonies that Balin tried to teach him, but he was paying attention to this.  
  
“Wait a minute,” Kili broke in at one point. “Does that mean your marriage to Dwalin won't be valid? 'Cause you're not following your customs?”  
  
“Not at all,” Bilbo shook her head. “You see, if you take away the flowers and the extra words, the wedding ceremony for hobbits is basically just a couple who are publicly stating their intent to spend the rest of their lives together. Balin's explained the dwarvish vows to me, and it boils down to the same thing. You dwarves just drag it out a little longer.”  
  
“So your people will recognise it?”  
  
“Yes, Kili. It's really very simple for hobbits. Anyway, Balin has ensured that I can still fulfil some of my traditions without offending dwarvish sensibilities.”  
  
“Like what?” Ori asked, intrigued.  
  
“Well, it seems hobbits and dwarves share the custom of the bride having their hair unbound, and on top of that I'll be wearing a flower-crown. Hobbit brides wear bright colours while dwarves wear their family colours, so my dress will be a bright grassy green. We also share a tradition with Men. The bride carries with her something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.”  
  
“Really?” Ori's eyes were wide, and Kili still looked interested as well. “How will you manage that?”  
  
“They don't have to be big things,” Bilbo smiled. “For something old, I have the anklet my mother wore for her wedding. Something new, the necklace Balin gave me to welcome me to his family. Apparently I need to be armed in some fashion, so I'm borrowing one of Dwalin's daggers.” Both dwarves nodded at that, as though it made perfect sense “As for something blue, Lady Dis gave me a sapphire ring that I'll wear.”  
  
At that, Kili looked extremely pleased. Bilbo just shook her head fondly. He and his brother had taken to her quickly, and always looked happy when she was accepted by the dwarves they encountered.  
  
Shortly after, while Bilbo was discussing various flower meanings with Ori, Fili and Dwalin halted their training and joined the others. Fili collapsed in a heap next to his brother, who handed him a water-skin without a word, while Dwalin stood at Bilbo's shoulder and ran his fingers through her hair in greeting. Bilbo smiled up at him, then returned to the conversation.  
  
From what she'd observed, dwarves were a fiercely passionate race. When there were no outsiders around couples were free with their affections, and it wasn't uncommon to see couples greet each other with a kiss or a forehead tap. For some reason though, Dwalin always held himself back. It was annoying, since Bilbo rather thought they could be better off getting used to physical intimacy, but she hadn't had a chance to talk to him in private yet.  
  
Far too soon, Bilbo and Ori excused themselves and headed to the shopping district. Bilbo had a final fitting at the tailor's, and one hobbit custom stated that the groom couldn't see the wedding dress before the ceremony.  
  
~*~  
  
Kili liked Miss Baggins. He and Fili didn't have many female figures in their lives – not unless you counted the servants and they weren't likely to smack his hand for bad table manners. She was tiny and adorable and easily flustered, yet she stood her ground and gave as good as she got.  
  
So when Kili saw that Dwalin didn't treat her the way most courting dwarves would, he decided to get to the bottom of it. He waited until it was just him, Fili and Dwalin before speaking, but as soon as Miss Baggins was out of earshot he turned to his trainer.  
  
“How come you never kiss her?”  
  
Fili's attention snapped to Dwalin as well, as the most unusual thing happened. Before their eyes Dwalin's face was turning red, but not with anger.  
  
“Don't know what you're talking about,” Dwalin grumbled, avoiding their eyes. “Grab your sword, you're next.”  
  
“Yes you do, Kili insisted. “You touch Miss Baggins' hair, but you never kiss her. You let her take your arm but never hug her.”  
  
“Exactly,” Fili joined in, backing up his brother as always. “If you didn't like her you wouldn't do all that. So why don't you do more?”  
  
Dwalin glared at them, but they stood their ground. He'd been glaring at them for more than half a century, they knew when he was just covering up something. Eventually he sighed and scrubbed one hand over his face.  
  
“Bilbo... she's so small.”  
  
“Yeah?” Kili frowned, puzzled. Fili elbowed him in the ribs, and Dwalin continued.  
  
“I'm more'n a head taller than her. Hell, my warhammer weighs more'n she does. I don't...” He trailed off, but Fili, ever the more attentive of the brothers, had figured it out.  
  
“You think you'll hurt her,” he suggested. Kili glanced between them, then scoffed at Dwalin's reluctant nod.  
  
“Seriously? Mum's always telling about how you used to carry us around in one hand each when we were babes, and you think you're going to crush Miss Baggins?” Kili glared back at Dwalin, and Fili nodded along even as Dwalin's glower started edging into dangerous territory. “You've never pushed someone too far in training, you've never hurt the kids that always climb all over you in the market–”  
  
“I don't–”  
  
“We watch them do it,” Fili ran straight over Dwalin's protests. “You're a squishy teddy bear when it comes to kids, don't bother denying it. And you're not going to hurt Bilbo, either. You've got too much respect for her and yourself.”  
  
“Not intentionally I won't,” Dwalin finally acquiesced, “but hobbits aren't as strong as dwarves. I don't want to overwhelm her.”  
  
“You won't,” Fili shook his head.  
  
“She's stronger than you think,” Kili added. “She made it halfway across Middle Earth, after all.”  
  
Dwalin just watched them for a moment, then seemed to visibly shake off the conversation as he grabbed his axes again.  
  
“All right brats, grab your swords.”  
  
The brothers grinned as they followed him back to the training area. They'd known Dwalin all their lives, and by now they knew that he only called them brats when he didn't want them to know he was pleased with them.  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning, Bilbo was surprised when she opened her door to find Dwalin standing there.  
  
“Good morning,” she greeted out of ingrained politeness. “I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon. Is there something you need?”  
  
“Yes,” Dwalin nodded. “Can I come in?”  
  
“Certainly,” Bilbo stepped aside, allowing him entrance. “Balin will be here soon, I need to go over some more contracts.”  
  
Dwalin stood in the middle of the sitting area, looking more than a little uncomfortable. Bilbo closed the door and crossed over to stand in front of him. After a moment in which she could almost _see_ Dwalin steel himself, the dwarf reached out and took her hand in his.  
  
“I don't want to hurt you,” he explained. “I'm used to dealing with dwarves in general, warriors in particular. You need to promise you'll tell me if I hurt you, or make you uncomfortable.”  
  
“Of course,” Bilbo replied, puzzled. She might not have been a warrior, but she had her own ways of asserting herself. Besides, she'd already made a similar promise to Balin.  
  
“Good,” Dwalin nodded. “Now... I'd like to kiss you. If you'll allow it.”  
  
At that Bilbo smiled and moved closer, tilting her face up.  
  
“I'd like that too.”  
  
Dwalin's big hands went to her waist, helping her raise up onto the balls of her feet as he leaned down. His lips were warm against her own, a pleasant counterpart to the scratch of his beard against her skin. Dwalin was clearly no stranger to physical intimacy, easily deepening the kiss as Bilbo's arms went around his neck.  
  
For several minutes Bilbo lost herself to just feeling, and it was a shock when a loud knock brought her back to reality. She was a little surprised to find that she was pressed firmly against Dwalin from breast to knee, her hands digging into the firm muscle of his shoulders while one of his hands was resting on her bottom.  
  
“That's... probably Balin,” she murmured as her brain started working again.  
  
“Aye,” Dwalin agreed, before pressing another kiss to her mouth. Bilbo giggled as she pulled back again.  
  
“Which means I should answer the door.”  
  
“Must you?”  
  
“Yes!” Bilbo laughed as she extracted herself from his embrace. She felt herself flush as her bottom received a final squeeze, and hurried to the door. Feeling the passion Dwalin usually kept restrained had her feeling like a young girl again, dizzy and eager. It was gratifying to know that her future husband could lose himself with her, and it gave her hope for their life together.  
  
~*~  
  
The closer he got to Erebor, the more Nori knew something was wrong. Every bit of gossip seemed to confirm what he feared – Dwalin had gone and gotten engaged while Nori wasn't there to get him out of it.  
  
He urged his pony to go faster and stopped less frequently than he should have. By normal reckoning his was still more than two weeks away from the Lonely Mountain. With luck he could shave off a few days.  
  
Nori just hoped he was in time to stop Dwalin from making a big mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love. Also if anyone has anything they want to see before the wedding, tell me now - most likely next chapter will be the wedding/wedding night.


	6. The Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo and Dwalin get married. Nori gets an unpleasant surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya peeps! Guess what?
> 
> I used this fic as my submission for the Hobbit Big Bang. I'll be posting (at least) a chapter a day until this Friday, when it'll be completed. Hooray!
> 
> Also, I decided to make Bofur a female dwarf so that Bilbo could have a female BFF who can explain all the ridiculousness that comes with loving a male dwarf. No pairing for Bofur as of yet, but I'm always open to side-pairing suggestions.
> 
> Thanks for sticking around, and I apologise for the delay in updating.
> 
> Final note: This chapter contains the wedding night, described in romance-book style. Apparently I can't write heterosexual smut.

The morning of the wedding ceremony, Dwalin rose early and washed thoroughly. Most of his possessions were packed and would be moved to his new shared quarters with Bilbo over the next few days, except for the things he'd need today.

It was the place of close kin to help prepare a dwarf on the day of their marriage, so Dwalin wasn't surprised when Balin knocked on his door shortly after he'd finished eating breakfast. He was a little surprised to find Thorin there as well, but wasn't going to argue. It was comforting to have people he trusted at his side.

“Dwalin,” Thorin greeted as he clasped his cousin's arm. “You look well. You... are certain that you can do this?”

 “Aye,” Dwalin nodded, mustering as much conviction as he could. “The lass is pleasant enough, we'll make it work. Not the life I'd have chosen for meself, but it could be a lot worse.”

Thorin sighed, then leaned forward and tapped their foreheads together. Dwalin knew his king still felt guilty, but there was little he could do about it. Hard decisions came with the job of ruling a clan of dwarrow. Only time could ease his mind over this particular decision.

“So,” Dwalin turned to his brother, “who is assisting Bilbo?”

 “That would be Bofur,” Balin informed him. “Nice enough lass, from the Blue Mountains originally. Her brother's a cook, and her cousin Bifur fought at Azinulbizar.”

 “Bifur?” Dwalin raised an eyebrow. “I remember him. Didn't know he had family.”

 “Bofur and Bombur moved here to help him recover. Poor chap. But he and Bofur do make wonderful toys for the little ones.”

 Dwalin didn't know Bifur particularly well, just that he'd been loyal to Thrain and had received an orc axe to the head for that loyalty. He was still the focus of scrutiny by dwarven healers, at least if Oin was to be believed – which he usually was, as long as he wasn't babbling about portents and omens.

 “I've met her a couple of times,” Thorin confirmed. “Good head on her shoulders. She'll make sure there aren't any last-minute disasters. I think the boys might actually cry if something stops the hobbit from pledging herself to you. They even offered to be her escort.”

 At that, Dwalin and Balin both chuckled. It was astounding, Bilbo's ability to charm any entity she encountered. Fili and Kili were by far her biggest fans, but certainly not her only ones.

 Then again, she was helping to make more food available. It was rather hard to dislike someone who did that.

 “Now,” Balin clapped his hands together. “Where are the beads?”

 ~*~

 “Over there,” Bilbo pointed to a small wooden box on her bedside table. “I decided on the white-gold ones. They'll look lovely in his dark hair.”

 “Good choice,” Bofur nodded as she continued lacing up Bilbo's corset. “I'll wager he's not one for too much fancy.”

 “No. I haven't seen him wearing any jewellery before – except his knuckle-dusters, he treats them like jewellery sometimes – so I went for simple. We seem to agree on that point.”

 “That's good. You can be sure he hasn't picked something gaudy and ostentatious.” Bofur paused a moment. “Unless he knows nothing about beads and that's why he doesn't wear any.”

 “He knows enough,” Bilbo laughed. “We talked a little about it. He didn't share the exact designs, but assured me that he would avoid anything flashy. I'm quite curious, actually.”

 The conversation paused as they finished getting Bilbo into her dress. She had at first baulked at the thought of someone else seeing her in her underclothes, but Bofur had surely been Valar-sent. Dwarven ceremonial attire was much more complex than Bilbo had anticipated, and her friend had known exactly how it all fit together.

 “There we go,” Bofur finally said, brushing her hands briefly over Bilbo's full skirt. “You look lovely.”

 “Thank you so much,” Bilbo smiled widely at the dwarf, who grinned back.

 “It's an honour. My kin and I are simple folk. Getting to attend a royal wedding as friends of the bride? It's... it's special. Never thought it'd be possible.”

 “Stop that,” Bilbo scolded lightly. “You're family is wonderful.”

 “Oh I know that,” Bofur smirked. “We're just not noble-born. Bombur likely would've spent another hundred years doing prep work if you hadn't forced his supervisors to see what he can really do. And Bifur's really enjoying having someone he can talk to about plants and gardening. We just,” here she stroked her beard, searching for the right words. “We like being simple folk, but it's nice to be friends with a nob.”

 At that, Bilbo just had to hug her friend.

 “I like being your friend, too. Promise you'll tell me if I ever start getting uppity?”

 “You won't,” Bofur released her and quickly ensured that the dress still sat right. “But if it'll make you feel better, I promise.”

 “It will.”

 The pair paused in their preparations for a quick bite to eat. Bilbo had prepared sandwiches earlier, and Bombur had sent along bite-sized cupcakes. She had cut back on how much she ate due to food shortages, but for today Bilbo needed the security and comfort of food.

 ~*~

 When asked later, Dwalin couldn't remember much of the wedding ceremony itself. He knew that Bilbo was lovely, that Fili and Kili were indeed her escorts, that the vows were spoken successfully, that Balin was a constant presence by his side. The details, though, completely escaped him. It was the same as what sometimes happened in battle, which was a little disturbing.

 The proper memories kicked back in when he heard Thorin saying the ritual words to close the ceremony, to confirm them as a wedded couple, and he leaned down to kiss the palms of Bilbo's hands. She did the same for him, and they were wed.

 After that it was a flurry of activity, Bilbo always by his side, as they moved on to the Great Hall where the wedding feast was to be held. He and Bilbo were seated at the Royal table with Thorin and his family, and it was rather amusing to see how happy Fili and Kili were.

 “Anyone'd think it was _your_ wedding day,” Dis said to her sons in an amused tone.

 “Nah, this is better,” Kili grinned. “We still get the party without getting tied down!”

 Bilbo let out a giggle as Fili smacked his younger brother upside the head.

 ~*~

 Bilbo watched the princes mock-squabble as she ate her soup one-handed. She wasn't sure if Dwalin even noticed that he still held her hand, that he hadn't let go since the end of the wedding ceremony, but she wasn't going to complain. Her hand felt so small compared to his, but instead of making her feel delicate or fragile, he made her feel safe. Looking around for a moment, it struck Bilbo how many dwarves she already knew and counted as at least acquaintances, if not friends. Besides the royal family, Balin also sat at their table, alternating between discussion with Thorin and Dis. There were also four other dwarrow she had only spoken to a few times, Oin the royal physician and his younger brother Gloin, who was in charge of the treasury. The two were also, apparently, more cousins of Thorin and Dis. Next to Gloin were his wife and young son.

 A few tables away she could see Bifur and Bofur seated together. Bilbo had insisted that Bombur be in charge of the food for the wedding feast, after several discussions that showed he was just as passionate about good food and eating as any hobbit, and that had given the Urs a good deal of respect, which was well-deserved in Bilbo's eyes. Bofur was gesturing with an ale tankard and clearly having a good time, with the surrounding dwarrow laughing along with her. Bilbo knew that Bofur had been a miner back in the Blue Mountains, and here she was a toy carver, so she was well used to mingling with all sorts of common folk. Bifur seemed to be enjoying himself too, every now and then stealing bits of salad from Bofur's plate that she wasn't eating.

 A little further on, she spotted Ori and his older brother Dori. It had been Dori who had made the wedding dress that Bilbo wore, so she had gotten to know him fairly well over the past month. Where Ori was excitable and shy and, quite frankly, adorable, Dori was solid and stern and apparently the strongest dwarf around. Given that Bilbo had seen him lift up a desk piled with fabrics when Ori's ball of yarn had rolled under it, she was inclined to believe it.

 Watching them, Bilbo found herself wondering what the middle brother was like. Nori, Dwalin had said his name was. She wondered if she would ever meet him, or whether Dwalin's past with him would mean Nori would avoid her.

 All in all, the feast went well. There was food and drink and music, and Bilbo managed to get Dwalin to dance with her more than once. He wasn't exactly the most graceful dwarf around, but Bilbo didn't care. She insisted that having fun was more important than getting the steps right – and after that, Dwalin did much better.

 Almost before she knew it, it was time to retire for the night. As she curtseyed to Thorin and Dis, and Dwalin took her hand again to lead her home, Bilbo felt her face heat. She knew what was to come next, and was both excited and a little intimidated.

 The walk home was silent, until they were alone behind closed doors. Dwalin stopped her once the front door was locked and took both her hands in his.

 “Bilbo, I want you to remember something. You are my wife, and I will honour you above all else. Never feel pressured into doing anything for me. If you don't like something or just don't feel like it at that time, you can always say no. I won't be angry.”

 The words eased any remaining tension, and Bilbo smiled.

 “Thank you.” She stepped forward and pressed close as she kissed him. Dwalin responded, but she could still feel him holding back. So she pulled away just enough to speak again. “Dwalin, my husband... take me to bed.”

 ~*~

 Dwalin let go.

 It was a simple matter to sweep Bilbo up into his arms and carry her to their bedroom. The hobbit laughed and gripped his shoulders tightly, leaning in to press sweet kisses to the side of his face. They made it to the bed without incident, and Dwalin laid her down carefully. He ran his fingers over the bodice of her dress, a little put out at the size of the buttons.

 “How attached to this dress are you?” He asked, raising one eyebrow. Bilbo looked confused for a moment, until Dwalin drew the dagger at Bilbo's hip. Then her breathing sped up and eyes widened in a gratifying way.

 “Have at it,” she waved a hand. That deserved another kiss.

 Eventually Dwalin got back to what he had been doing, and cheerfully cut along the seams of the garment. It would be easy enough to recycle the material if Bilbo wanted to, and was faster than trying to fiddle around with buttons. It wasn't long before Bilbo lay beneath him in a nest of shredded dress, wearing just her underclothes and corset.

 Dwalin ran his finger along the edge of the corset, gently stroking the skin there, and was pleased to see the blush return. The corset itself didn't seem too complicated though, so he backed away a little – treasuring the little whimper that Bilbo let out – and divested himself of his weapons.

 Bilbo watched with wide eyes as he continued to strip off his clothes, then moved and shoved the ruined dress off of the bed. Dwalin raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic treatment – he knew how well Bilbo usually kept her clothing.

 “I'll deal with it in the morning,” Bilbo shrugged back, then held out a hand. “Come back over here, please.”

 Smiling, Dwalin did as she asked.

 ~*~

 As Dwalin undressed her and touched her, Bilbo gave herself over to the joy. It wasn't love, but it _was_ passion, and Dwalin certainly knew what he was doing. His skin was rough, calloused and scarred, but his hands were gently firm. He didn't shy away from touching her, and it only took a word for Dwalin to change tactics if she wasn't enjoying something.

 When he started to prepare her, he seemed to know exactly what she needed. She was slick with wanting him, and he made sure that she was relaxed enough that there was no pain. By the time he deemed her ready, she was about ready to kick him in impatience.

 Then he was moving inside her, holding her close, and Bilbo forgot everything else. With his care in preparing her there was still no pain, just a little oddness as her muscles grew accustomed to the new activity, and she felt closer to him than she ever had to anyone before. His hands still moved along her skin, bringing her pleasure, and his mouth trailed kisses along her neck and up to her ear.

 “Touch yourself,” he whispered to her, and Bilbo understood. She kept one arm wrapped around his shoulders, her hand digging into his hair, and slid the other down between them. For a moment she let her fingers press against him where they were joined, then moved back up and started to pleasure herself.

 ~*~

 Dwalin was smitten. As he moved inside Bilbo, she responded to him so beautifully that he knew they wouldn't have a problem in this area of their marriage. She rolled her hips to meet his, eyes half-lidded in pleasure, and the hand that wasn't between them tugged his hair at the right strength. He started to thrust a little harder, needing to go faster, and he heard little gasps fall from her mouth. Thinking that he hurt her, he pulled back a moment.

 “Nononononono,” Bilbo immediately clung to him tighter. “Don't stop, please, that was perfect!”

 With a smile, Dwalin resumed his pace. Bilbo was clenching around him, arching her back, and he knew she was close.

 “Come for me,” he spoke softly into her ear, earning a moan in return. “Show me how much you enjoy my touch, my presence in your bed.”

 “Yes,” Bilbo whined, eyes screwed shut. Her movements became more frantic, and Dwalin increased his pace to match hers.

 When her voice cried out in ecstasy, Dwalin felt triumph. It didn't take much longer before he growled out his own pleasure, spending himself inside of her even as her hips still weakly pulsed beneath him.

 ~*~

 Bilbo felt boneless and exhausted. Dwalin rested inside of her for a few moments, pressing kisses to her neck, then withdrew carefully. He ran his large hands over her body briefly, as though reassuring himself that she was still whole.

 “Was that all right, lass?”

 “All right?” Bilbo huffed a laugh. “That was wonderful. Sleep now.”

 Dwalin chuckled, and lay down beside her. Bilbo let him arrange them so that he was still holding her as he slipped into slumber. Before long, he was snoring away. Having gotten used to the noise while travelling, Bilbo didn't expect it to keep her awake long.

 Despite her exhaustion though, she stayed awake a while to watch Dwalin. She brushed her fingers over his face, down his nose and across his lips. He wasn't what hobbits would call handsome, but Bilbo liked him well enough. Hobbits did tend to like someone strong enough to help with the harvest or moving furniture for parties, so he did meet that criteria. Besides his looks though, he was kind and considerate and protective, traits that any hobbit would agree to be ideal in a partner.

 “I think I'm falling in love with you,” Bilbo whispered to her husband as she settled down to sleep. “I just hope in time you'll love me too.”

 ~*~

 Nori sat by the fire, unmoving. Given the late hour he'd gone straight home to Dori and Ori, only to find the house empty. He'd stashed his things in his room and was about to head out again to Dwalin, when his brothers had come home, flushed and happy from a party.

 From Dwalin's wedding party.

 Ori had grabbed on to him immediately and demanded to know where he'd been. It had been simple enough to distract his brothers by asking where _they_ had been. In the next half hour, he learned more than he'd ever want to know about Dwalin's bride.

 A hobbit from the shire, a pretty little scholarly type with no combat training. Ori adored her, and even Dori approved of her. The wedding had been beautiful and tasteful and it looked like they were going to be very happy together.

 Dori and Ori had retired to bed not long after, with Nori's promise that he'd be in town for a few days. After that, he'd simply sat in his chair near the fire and wondered what the hell he was going to do now.

 Then plans started to sneak into his mind, and he couldn't stop the feral grin from appearing as his hands started moving again, tying different knots in a length of string. It was a political marriage. Dwalin hadn't married her for love.

 So what if this... _halfling_ wore Dwalin's beads? Nori would find a way to get back into Dwalin's bed. After all, he was the one who held Dwalin's heart. He was sure of it.


	7. The Meeting (Take Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori meets Bilbo, and tries to figure things out. Dwalin tries to stick to his principles.

Nori hummed to himself as he let himself back into his brothers' house. He'd spent most of the morning and into the afternoon reporting to Thorin and various other people who needed the information he'd collected, and his king was pleased with him. He'd considered finding Dwalin and informing him of the compromise he'd decided on, but figured he'd leave it until later.

Voices came from behind the door, but Nori didn't think much of it. Not until he opened walked into the kitchen to see Ori sitting and laughing with the most adorable little butterball he'd ever seen.

_ Oh, crap. _

“Nori!” Ori exclaimed, grinning widely. “Come meet Bilbo. She makes tea as well as Dori does!”

“Hello,” the hobbit smiled at him. All of a sudden, Nori could see why Dwalin would agree to marry her. “It's lovely to meet you. Ori speaks very highly of you. How do you take your tea?”

“Lots of sugar,” Ori cut in. “As much as you can while still calling it a drink.”

Bilbo laughed and stood, fetching another teacup. Nori could see that she was moving a little oddly, and then realised why when Ori smirked. (Honestly, Dori was going to kill him one of these days when he realised how much Ori picked up from him.)

“All right there, Bilbo? Having a little trouble walking?”

Ori really could be a little shit at times.

“Hush you,” Bilbo swatted his arm, flushing a delightful shade. “It was my wedding night, what did you think we were going to do? Knit teacosies? That's _your_ thing.”

Nori stared as Bilbo and Ori teased each other. The hobbit had clearly wormed her way into Ori's life much more than he'd disclosed the previous night. Then again, they had travelled halfway across the world together.

Without saying a word, Nori turned and headed to his room. He needed to rethink his strategy.

~*~

Bilbo returned home not long after Nori seemed to flee. She was confused, and she could admit to being a little miffed. He hadn't said a word to her, and she'd been so hoping to befriend him as well as his brothers.

She met Dwalin as he was struggling to open their front door, her dwarf carrying a crate of something that sounded like clanking weapons.

“Here, let me,” she smiled at him and opened the door. “That looks heavy.”

“Not too bad,” Dwalin grunted. Bilbo guess that meant 'yes, it's very heavy'. She shook her head. _Stubborn dwarf._

While Dwalin set up his weapon rack, Bilbo started preparing afternoon tea. While she still felt guilty about eating more than the dwarves around her, adjusting to three meals a day had simply been too much strain. When Dwalin realised how unhealthy it was, he had assured her that she should eat as much as she needed to. She'd compromised by having three main meals and two smaller meals each day.

“Everything all right?” Dwalin asked. Bilbo blinked at him, confused.

“Of course. Why wouldn't it be?”

“You ain't humming. Or whistling, or singing, or mumbling. When you're happy and cooking, you make noise of some sort.”

Bilbo laughed, then shrugged sheepishly.

“I met Nori earlier today. Well, in a manner of speaking. He came in when I was having tea with Ori, looked at me, then turned and left.” She sighed, not noticing how Dwalin had stiffened. “Ori speaks so fondly of him, I'd hoped that we could be friends too. Do you think he's scared I'll sic you onto him?”

“Maybe,” Dwalin grunted after a pause. “Been a while since I arrested him though. I'll... I'll talk to him if I see him.”

Bilbo smiled at him, then turned back to preparing the food. Soon enough she heard Dwalin clunking around again.

~*~

Dwalin cursed internally. Part of him wanted to go to Nori and explain everything. The larger part of him knew what a bad idea that would be. He regretted that Nori had had to find out through the grapevine, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He needed to keep his distance.

After all, he had a chance at happiness with Bilbo. He could separate himself from his past dalliances.

~*~

Nori lay on his bed, passing a coin over his knuckles. He needed to think about how to insinuate himself back into Dwalin's life. The thought of being 'the other woman' wasn't exactly ideal, but he would deal with it. He didn't want to give Dwalin up completely, and he didn't think he could break up the marriage. There weren't many other options.

A cough sounded at the door, and Nori glanced over at his little brother. Ori looked sheepish but determined, playing with a loose thread on his gloves.

“What can I do for you, bro?” Nori raised one elaborately-braided eyebrow.

“Bilbo's nice,” Ori blurted out. “She knows a lot, and she talks to me like an adult, and she believes that I can do anything I want. I know that things with you and Dwalin are... complicated... but please don't hold it against her. Give her a chance. Please?”

Nori held in a laugh. Complicated? Well, that was one way of looking at it.

“Sounds like you've got a crush on another dwarf's wife.”

“No,” Ori scrunched up his nose, the 'you idiot' unsaid but not unheard. “Bilbo's my friend. She was looking forward to meeting you, and you were rude. Please don't give her too hard a time?”

Nori rolled his eyes, but nodded.

“Whatever. I won't be mean to your little friend.”

“Good. Now, where are my presents?”

“What makes you think I have presents for you?”

“Please. Between my journey and your wandering, it's been almost two years since we were together. You didn't break out presents last night, so I'm guessing it's something that Dori won't approve of.”

Nori tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't hold it. He laughed as he rolled off the bed and snagged his satchel.

“Okay, okay. But usual rules: Don't let Dori see, and if he does, don't tell him it's from me.”

~*~

As it turned out, playing nice with Bilbo wasn't hard. She visited the house every few days, still close to Ori, and it was rather amusing to watch her face when Dori asked what had become of her wedding gown. The little thing hadn't realised that many marriage nights started with destruction of the ceremonial garb – in fact, it was considered lucky to turn the garments into bedding for the first child.

The hobbit was damnably likeable, and Nori found himself watching her closely whenever they were in the same room. She was... interesting. He decided that he didn't want to hurt her, so slipping in and out of Dwalin's bed unnoticed was clearly the best option. He'd just deal with the sneaking around like he always had.

After a few weeks of watching Bilbo and Dwalin's schedule, Nori was ready to make his proposal. He waited until Dwalin was alone at the house. Bilbo was visiting with Fili and Kili, the terrors who had practically adopted her, and he was sure she wouldn't be home for several hours. Dwalin was resting after a long morning of clobbering the new recruits.

So Nori picked the lock on the bedroom window and climbed in, settling on the end of the bed. It wasn't long before Dwalin woke, always aware of his surroundings.

“Nori,” he sighed, and Nori grinned at him.

“Hullo lover,” he purred, pitching his voice at the level that always made Dwalin respond. He crawled forward and caught Dwalin's lower lip with his teeth. He felt the groan going through Dwalin's chest, and lowered himself to kiss him more thoroughly.

All too soon, though, Dwalin caught his shoulders and pushed him back.

“I'm sorry, Nori. I can't do this.”

Flabbergasted, Nori allowed himself to be pushed back as Dwalin climbed off of the bed and scrubbed a hand over his head.

“Why not?” Nori found his voice again. “Your marriage is just a political one. No one's gonna get hurt if we play around.”

“No,” Dwalin shook his head. “I swore an oath to honour my wife. You might not like her–”

“I like Bilbo just fine,” Nori interrupted. “That's why I snuck in when you were alone, instead of when she's here. Who would mind as long as we're discreet?”

“It can't happen,” Dwalin repeated. “It doesn't matter if no one ever found out. I would know, and that's enough. She's my _wife_.”

“Yeah, but it's not like you love her.”

At that, Dwalin paused, and Nori felt as though an icy hand had gripped his heart.

“...Do you love her?”

~*~

Dwalin closed his eyes. Surely it would be easiest to just say that he loved Bilbo. That would make Nori back off. But when he looked at his ex-lover, he couldn't lie to him.

“I care about her,” he admitted. “I still love you,” here Nori flinched almost imperceptibly, and Dwalin fought back a growl. Nori hated hearing the l-word applied to him, and had never said it back. “I do, but I had to make a choice. I won't hurt us all by keeping both of you.”

“I don't understand,” Nori spoke in a soft voice Dwalin had never heard before. “If you l-love me, why can't we be together?”

“I'm sorry,” Dwalin stepped away. “This has to be the end. I'll... I'll stay out of your way as much as I can.”

He turned towards the bathroom, leaving Nori to see himself out the window.

~*~

Neither dwarf noticed the small figure standing just beyond the bedroom door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update tomorrow, so won't have to wait long to see the three of them interacting!
> 
> Also, remember that comments are love.


	8. The Agreement (Take Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since dwarves are ridiculous, Bilbo takes matters into her own hands. Nori and Dwalin are both happy with the outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The penultimate chapter! This'll be finished off tomorrow, so if there's anything you want to see, make sure to tell me now! Haven't quite finished the final chapter, there's still time to make additions.

Bilbo sat in her garden, idly running her fingers through the soil. She'd been married for a month already, and was still wondering what to do about Dwalin and Nori. By all the evidence she had, Dwalin had kept to his wedding vows, and he seemed happy enough to all outsiders. Bilbo could see, though, whenever she mentioned Nori or they glimpsed him whilst out, that part of her husband still hurt. Nori was no better. Some carefully-worded questions had revealed that no one else had known about Dwalin being in a relationship, and it certainly wasn't public knowledge that he was anything other than completely straight. She sighed in annoyance. Why did dwarves have to be so damned complicated?

 After a while, she brushed off her hands and started cleaning up. The lovely gardening tools had been a wedding gift from Dwalin, and the seeds she'd just planted a gift from Nori – apparently as an apology for being rude the first time they'd met. He'd actually proven to be a good friend in the last month, evidently not blaming her for stealing his lover.

 The thought of gifts started her thinking about what she would do for her birthday, which was coming up soon. Apparently the dwarves did it backwards, giving gifts to the person whose birthday it was, which didn't make much sense to her. Surely that meant that everyone was constantly giving things away? Bilbo shook her head, then paused. An idea was starting to form.

 ~*~

 The evening of Bilbo's birthday, Dwalin went with her to the pub that Bofur frequented. It was a decent place, clean and not too over-priced, and Bilbo was clearly having fun as she sang and danced with her friend. Dwalin had considered a romantic dinner for two, but went instead with what Bilbo had asked for. They hadn't really spent a lot of time out socialising as a wedded pair, so it was a nice change.

 As the night wore on, Dwalin found himself communicating with Bifur. The other dwarf was a similar age to him, and Dwalin quickly realised that they could carry on a conversation fairly easily in Iglishmek. He was a little rusty, and Bifur did use some confusing signs, but generally it was interesting rather than annoying. The older dwarf had travelled the world and tried his hand at many professions, from warrior to miner to toymaker, so he had plenty of stories to share. Dwalin could understand why Bilbo was so fascinated with the family, especially if Bofur translated the stories for her.

 Finally it grew near to midnight, and Dwalin knew he should get his wife home. He looked around, and paused when he saw her talking to Nori. It looked almost as though she was scolding him for something. Then they hugged, which had Dwalin rising from his seat – Nori might have said that he didn't hate Bilbo, but he still carried far too many hidden weapons for Dwalin's comfort. Before he could take more than a step, though, Nori seemed to disappear into the crowd, and Bilbo was turning around and laughing.

 “Dwalin!” She called, moving easily over to him. The quick steps she took to avoid having her bare feet stepped on made her look like she was dancing, and made his heart beat a little faster. When she was close enough, he grasped her hands in his. She seemed perfectly fine.

 “It's growing late,” he said instead of voicing his fears of her letting Nori so close. “We should head home.”

 “Just what I was thinking,” Bilbo agreed. She let him lead her from the tavern and back towards their home, chattering easily about the day. Dwalin hadn't known that Fili and Kili had snuck away from their lessons to show Bilbo the library, but somehow it didn't surprise him either. The princes' antics were always amusing to hear about.

 Once back inside their own house, Bilbo turned to Dwalin and took a breath.

 “I told you before that hobbits give gifts on their birthdays, right?”

 “Aye,” Dwalin nodded, a little confused.

 “And I know you dwarves give gifts to others, and I did love those books you gave me. But I have a present for you, actually.”

 “Oh?” Dwalin smiled and let his arms encircle Bilbo's waist. “That's very thoughtful of you.”

 “Stop that,” Bilbo smiled as she swatted his hands away. “Not yet. Now. I want you to go into the bathroom and undress. When you have, come into the bedroom.”

 “I like the sound of this present,” Dwalin murmured as he stroked one hand along her side.

 “Go!” Bilbo laughed at him before dancing backwards out of his reach. Dwalin chuckled in response and made his way to the bathroom.

 He quickly undressed and gave himself a wipe-down, making sure that nothing clung to his skin after their evening out. Old ale wasn't exactly an arousing smell, after all. With a little more care he took out his marriage-braid and set the beads onto the counter, before running a brush through his hair and beard.

 Only a few minutes had passed, and Dwalin was already eager for whatever it was Bilbo had planned. They didn't lie together every night, but when they did she was always passionate and ready to explore new ideas. He left the bathroom uncaring of his naked state, and crossed to the bedroom they shared.

 Dwalin took one step across the threshold, and froze.

 Kneeling on the end of the bed, as naked as he was, was Bilbo. She looked as lovely as ever. She had an unusual accessory though.

 For next to her, just as naked, hair unbound, one arm wrapped around her waist, was Nori.

 ~*~

 Despite Bilbo's assurances that Dwalin wouldn't kill him, Nori was nervous. He did his best not to show it though, and merely tilted his head to one side, letting his hair mingle with Bilbo's. Dwalin stood unmoving, still as carven stone almost. His eyes darted between the two on his bed, and Nori knew they needed to speak quickly before he lost it.

 “Dwalin,” Bilbo spoke softly, holding out her hand. “Come here.” She poked Nori with her other hand, and he held out his as well. Dwalin took a few unsteady steps towards them.

  _Well that's a little progress_ , Nori thought to himself.

 “I told you I didn't hate her,” Nori found himself speaking. “Actually, she's pretty clever. I quite like the way hobbits deal with issues.”

 Dwalin drew closer still. He wasn't near enough to reach out and grasp yet, but the confusion and anger was starting to give way to something else.

 “Love is love to hobbits,” Bilbo took over. “It's not uncommon for three to find happiness together. I know it's not what you're used to, but we can do this.” She paused, and leaned into Nori a little more. Nori took the hint and ran his lips over the outside of her ear, making her shiver a little. “Dwalin, I could grow to love you both. Can you share yourself with us, and share us with each other?”

 He took the final step, and reached out. Nori shared a triumphant smile with Bilbo, as they each grabbed a hand and pulled.

 For several moments there were limbs everywhere, and Nori could feel both Bilbo's softness at his side and Dwalin's hard muscles in front of him. Then he was being forcibly moved, and decided to just go along with it. He found himself flipped, landing on top of a giggling Bilbo, and could feel Dwalin pressed behind him now. Nori reached back and Dwalin surged forwards, kissing him fully and properly for the first time in way too long.

 “Now that's a lovely sight,” Bilbo sighed, apparently quite happy. Dwalin pulled back, but Bilbo waved her hand. “No, no, continue. I'll just see to myself.” Nori watched, enraptured, as Bilbo slid a hand down her front.

 “And if we wanted to see to you as well?” Nori asked, raising an eyebrow. Bilbo had spoken before of all three of them being equal. He didn't want to see her left out now.

 Bilbo's hand paused, then changed course to stroke along Nori's chest.

 “If you insist,” she shrugged, still grinning. Nori leant down to taste her smile.

 ~*~

 Dwalin still wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he did know that he liked what he saw – and what he felt. While Nori kissed Bilbo below him, he also arched his back to rub against Dwalin. One of Bilbo's hands reached out for him again, and Dwalin gladly captured it, pressing small kisses to her fingertips. If someone had suggested this before, he would have thought that he was too jealous to share lovers. Now though, he realised that he cared enough for both of them to go along with this idea – at least, as long as they still wanted him with them as well.

 When Nori broke the kiss, he leaned down to nip at other areas of her skin. Dwalin leaned forwards and took her mouth, pouring everything he felt for her into the kiss. When he pulled back, Bilbo was gasping and looked more sensual than he'd ever seen her before.

 Though that could have been because now he could _see_ how she reacted when someone was kissing their way down her body.

 Biting back a groan at the way Nori slid against him, Dwalin sat back a bit to give them all more room. Nori immediately wriggled down to use his clever mouth on Bilbo, who still kept hold of Dwalin's hand. Then she released it and caught Dwalin's eye, her own sparking with mischief.

 Her glance flickered over to the bedside table, where Dwalin saw a certain tin of salve that he knew Nori favoured.

 Dwalin let out a chuckle and reached over to grab it. Bilbo was well on her way to becoming lost in pleasure, so he ran a hand down Nori's back. The smaller dwarf shivered, then waggled his backside in a clear invitation. Powerless to resist such an offer, Dwalin opened the salve and coated his fingers well.

 Preparing Nori was never boring, but doing so while Nori pleasured Bilbo was definitely a new experience. Dwalin went a little slower and gentler than usual, trying not to interrupt what he was doing, only to find that Nori's little noises of pleasure just made Bilbo's increase in fervour. He was unable to hold his tongue at that.

 “So beautiful, the pair of you,” he whispered. “Must be the luckiest dwarf in Erebor to get you both in my bed.” He let the hand not preparing Nori trail up Bilbo's arm and cup her breast, thumb brushing her nipple.

 ~*~

 Nori barely heard Dwalin's rumbled words at first. He was _busy_ , okay? They did register after a few seconds though, and he made an agreeable noise. They really had been lucky to get Bilbo, someone willing to make a triad like this work. Nori had admitted (to himself if no one else) that he found Bilbo quite attractive when they first met, and there had been a few thoughts about getting her into bed so she wouldn't feel left out. This, however, was beyond anything he'd really considered to be possible.

 He felt Bilbo shiver beneath him, and brought his fingers into play. He still wasn't sure of the exact configuration of their... well, he couldn't call it 'coupling' when they were three, and Bilbo had smacked him over the head with a book the last time he'd sworn around her. Joining, there, that would work. When discussing the configuration of the joining, he and Bilbo hadn't really planned specifics. It was more of a 'look enticing and hope that Dwalin's proper dwarvish sensibilities don't win out' than a detailed plan.

 Still, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

 Bilbo started to gasp, and reached down with one hand to bat at Nori's head. He gave her a final lick, then pulled up.

 “Very lovely indeed,” Bilbo managed to gasp out. “That's enough for now. Are you ready?”

 At that, Dwalin twisted his fingers where they stretched Nori, and he gave a small moan as his eyes fell shut.

 ~*~

 “Aye,” Dwalin replied for him, “he is. Do you... How should...”

 Bilbo smiled as her husband tripped over his words. This would really be the test, to see if Dwalin could handle it.

 “I think Nori's been awfully neglected these past few months,” she said softly. “So I'm quite happy for him to be between us.”

 Dwalin seemed to consider for a moment, expression growing steadily hungrier.

  _That's what I wanted to see_ , Bilbo thought triumphantly.

 “Sounds...” Nori panted as Dwalin's movements sped up, “sounds good... to me!”

 Bilbo waited, though, until Dwalin nodded. Then she hurriedly reached into her bedside drawer for a sheath, and slipped it onto Nori.

 The dwarves barely seemed to notice. Instead Dwalin was kissing Nori again, and Bilbo felt a tingle go through her at the knowledge that he was tasting her on Nori's tongue. She gave the redhead a few strokes, then started running her fingers through the thick pelt on his chest. Really, dwarves were so hairy except on their feet! It was rather adorable, she'd found.

 Soon enough, her dwarves pulled apart. Bilbo laid back and spread her legs, arms stretched out and a smile on her face. Dwalin took Nori in hand and guided him into her, much to Bilbo’s delight. Nori’s face passed through so many emotions that Bilbo felt her breath catch, only regaining her balance when she felt Nori’s hips flush against her.

 Nori paused, breathing harshly, face hidden in Bilbo’s neck. She glanced up at Dwalin, a little concerned, only to find him smiling tenderly down at them. He leaned around Nori and brushed a kiss to Bilbo’s lips.

 “Give him a moment,” he rumbled. “He’s not used to tenderness.”

 “Fuck off,” Nori muttered, voice muffled from where his mouth was still pressed to Bilbo’s skin.

 “Watch your language,” Bilbo tugged at a lock of his hair.

 He pressed kisses to her neck in apology, making her giggle. Dwalin watched, one big hand rubbing up and down Nori’s back. Bilbo wrapped her arms around Nori’s shoulders, playing with his hair until he emerged.

 “Well?” Nori asked, glancing back over his shoulder. “Are you joining the fun or not?”

 “Sassy brat,” Dwalin grunted, swatting Nori’s behind. It jolted him forward, which Bilbo rather approved of.

 ~*~

 Dwalin watched Bilbo's eyelashes flutter, and Nori's mouth drop in pleasure, and knew he had to join them. He quickly coated himself in the slick and pressed into Nori, treasuring the happy noises he made. Finding his rhythm, Dwalin watched as his movements forced Nori into Bilbo and back again. Like this, it felt as though he was joined to them both.

 Staring down, Bilbo looked extremely pleased. Dwalin knew that the physical pleasure had to be building, but he also suspected that she was satisfied with a plan that worked. She was rather more devious than people tended to give her credit for – which was probably why she got along with Nori so well.

 Between them, Nori was keeping up with them both admirably. He clenched around Dwalin one moment, then nipped at Bilbo's ear the next. It struck Dwalin that Nori fitted with them as though he belonged there, as though he was meant to be with them.

 He liked that idea.

 Then Bilbo's hand found its way to his hair, tugging in the way he liked, and Dwalin gave up thinking.

 ~*~

 Nori was fairly sure that this was where he wanted to stay for the rest of his life, between Bilbo and Dwalin, moving together as one. It was... it felt...

 Huffing, Nori realised that he had no words for it. He could feel his climax building, unable to stand the dual sensations for much longer. Leaning back a little, he put some room between himself and Bilbo so that a hand could get between them.

 It wasn't his hand, though. Dwalin kept his pace, and at the same time reached around to stroke Bilbo.

 Within moments, Bilbo was clenching down hard, gasping out her pleasure. One hand was digging into his shoulder, nails leaving scratches that felt like fire. It was the perfect counter-point to the gentleness she'd touched him with earlier, and Nori found his climax, hips stuttering as he came in the sheath. He felt a brief flash of disappointment that they needed to use a barrier, but determinedly put it aside.

 Nori heard Dwalin groan behind him, but ignored it in favour of reclaiming Bilbo's mouth. He could still feel Dwalin moving within him, motions growing more frenzied, and decided that a visual would help his lover finish. So he half-turned his torso, allowing Dwalin the perfect view of him and Bilbo as they kissed.

 He was right. It didn't take long for Dwalin to thrust hard into him, grinding down. An added slickness eased the movements, and Nori smiled into the kiss. The experiment had been an unquestionable success.

 ~*~

 Some time later, Dwalin lay awake watching his wife and their lover still. They had managed to clean up before falling back into bed, and Bilbo had quickly fallen asleep with her head pillowed on Dwalin's arm. Nori had wrapped himself around her from behind and followed her into sleep, but not without sending a sleepily tender smile to Dwalin.

 Now he watched them, and wondered how things could continue to work. If it became public knowledge that another dwarf visited his bed, it could become very messy. But at the same time, he didn't want to give up before they had a chance to try.

 In the end, that was what won out. They had a chance at happiness, all three of them together, and Dwalin thought that it just might be worth any potential fallout to keep waking up with them both.


	9. The Triad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on for Bilbo, Nori and Dwalin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have it, the final chapter! Fittingly, it is nearly 1/5 the total wordcount of the fic. Couldn't split it into two, but figured I'd just lump it all in together. I hope it lives up to your expectations.
> 
> Edit: Also, there's now art in chapter one - the lovely Amorediton over on Livejournal did a cover for it for the Hobbit Big Bang. Yay!

Dwalin half-woke to movement, and recognised it as Bilbo getting up to prepare breakfast. He grumbled non-verbally and rolled onto his side, but calmed when a warm body snuggled into him. It wasn't until he realised that he could hear Bilbo puttering about in the kitchen while he was still holding someone that he really woke up and realised that the previous night hadn't just been a wishful dream. For there in his arms was Nori, all sleep-warm and sex-dishevelled.

 After a moment of staring, Nori's hand came up and covered Dwalin's eyes. Dwalin could still see in his mind the half annoyed, half fond expression that he would be wearing.

 “Stop staring at me, it's creepy. Go back to sleep.”

 “Sorry,” Dwalin grinned.

 “No you're not.”

 A giggle came from the doorway, and Nori shifted his hand so they could both look over to where Bilbo stood, apparently wrapped only in a dressing gown.

 “Are you two coming to breakfast?” She asked, hands on her hips. “Or should I just leave you to your bickering?”

 “Foooooood...” Nori groaned and rolled out of bed. Dwalin had been on the road with Nori before, knew that he could go from fast asleep to awake and fighting in a second, but it always amazed him how lazy the dwarf could be when he was somewhere he considered to be safe.

 Then it hit him – Nori considered their house safe, had decided that Bilbo wasn't a threat to him, was allowed to see him being vulnerable.

 That, more than anything else, made Dwalin really believe that Nori wasn't just humouring Bilbo to be allowed to stay with Dwalin.

 ~*~

 Nori sat slumped at the table and watched as Bilbo seemed to dance around the kitchen, putting together what he considered a large breakfast. Dwalin had thrown a pair of shorts at him before he'd left the bedroom, but Nori couldn't be bothered tracking down more clothes than that. Instead he let his body slowly wake up, even as his mind was already racing and planning the day's activities.

 “So Nori,” Bilbo's voice broke him out of his thoughts, “how long are you staying in Erebor? Ori said that you usually only stick around for a few months at a time.”

 “Not sure,” he shrugged. “I haven't been given a new assignment yet. Think I'll spend a while going over all my little bolt-holes and escape routes in the area.”

 Nori felt as Bilbo ran a hand through his hair, scratching at the base of his skull, and he let out a purr of contentment. Dwalin had compared him to a cat on more than one occasion, and he was fine with living up to the reputation. Bilbo just laughed at him, and set down a plate of food in front of him.

 They ate in companionable silence, Dwalin's plate off to one side as their larger dwarf went about his morning routine. He never sat down to breakfast without being fully dressed – something Nori considered something of a waste, but could still understand. Eventually Dwalin joined them as Nori was finishing up his breakfast, though he noted that Bilbo was still only half way through hers.

 After a few mouthfuls, Dwalin began to speak, looking at Bilbo but still including Nori.

 “How did you think of something like this, anyway?”

 “Like I said,” Bilbo shrugged, “it's not really that unusual in the Shire. And I overheard the two of you discussing whether you'd continue seeing each other in secret.” At this she threw a grin in Nori's direction. “While I am quite touched that Nori thought carrying on in secret wouldn't hurt me, and that you decided to stick to your wedding vows, I have no intention of getting between two people who love each other.” She paused again. “Well, actually, I have no problem being between you when it comes to bedroom activities. But I don't want our marriage to destroy your relationship.”

 Nori smirked at Dwalin, reaching out to rest his hand on the back of Bilbo's neck.

 “You really did pick a special one. At least now I know you'll be looked after when I'm traipsing around the world on missions for his royal gruffness.”

 Bilbo let out a giggle, even as Dwalin scowled at him.

 ~*~

 Time progressed forwards, and Dwalin found that the three of them fell into a comfortable routine. Nori still nominally lived with his brothers, and of course still had his work, but more often than not he shared Dwalin and Bilbo's bed. Nori and Bilbo together were sneaky and cheeky, pulling Dwalin into increasingly bizarre encounters, but they both always returned to his side. It was as though he was their lodestone, balancing them out and giving them something solid to rely on.

 That suited him just fine.

 Bilbo was of course not quite as insane as Nori was, she just had different cultural views. For example, it was apparently perfectly acceptable at a dance in the Shire for anyone to invite anyone else to dance. This had caused a brief kerfuffle during Kili's birthday celebrations when she had pulled the visiting King Dain onto the dancefloor. Dain had been perfectly fine with it, since through Fili and Kili he'd already interacted with Bilbo a few times, while some of the surrounding courtiers had just about fainted.

 Then she'd done the same to Bain, the human prince of Dale, and somehow hadn't looked ridiculous dancing with a man at least a foot taller than her. Bain's father King Bard had joined Dwalin in finding it amusing – the man was on friendly terms with Bilbo after several meetings regarding the state of Dale's crops.

 If Nori hadn't been off traipsing around the Iron Hills, Dwalin was sure that he would have been dancing with Bilbo as well. Somehow they'd managed to convince everyone else that Bilbo and Nori were close friends, while he and Dwalin still didn't particularly like each other. Dwalin wasn't exactly sure how, since he left all plotting to his two lovers. He was more of a dwarf of action and just left them to it when they got into debates or arguments.

 On the way back home after the celebrations, Bilbo was quieter than usual. Dwalin had noticed that she hadn't had any wine or smoked her pipe that evening either, and was a little concerned. Thankfully he'd seen her eat dinner, and could confirm that there was nothing wrong with her appetite, or he might have insisted on taking her to visit Oin.

 They arrived home, and instead of letting Bilbo disappear for her pre-bed rituals, Dwalin gently tugged her down onto the couch. She looked at him in confusion, but there was still a smile lurking around her lips.

 “Something's different tonight,” Dwalin decided to just come straight out with it. “Don't think it's something wrong. Have you and Nori been plotting via raven again?”

 “No,” Bilbo smiled as she shook her head. “I was going to wait a little longer to be certain, but if you insist on being observant...”

 “What is it?”

 “I think we're expecting a little one.”

 Dwalin momentarily forgot how to breathe.

 ~*~

 Bilbo laughed at the expression on Dwalin's face. He looked completely poleaxed! She knew that dwarves generally took longer to conceive, that having a child in the first year was a big cause to celebrate, so she wasn't worried about his surprise. In truth it had taken longer with Dwalin than it usually would between hobbits, which Bilbo chalked up to the differences between their races.

 After several moments, Dwalin seemed to process the knowledge and gathered her in his arms, holding her tight.

 “A babe... we're having a baby of our own?”

 “Yes dear,” Bilbo reassured him. “We're having a baby.”

 Dwalin's breathing came out of rhythm, and Bilbo could feel a suspicious wetness on the top of her head. She didn't mention either thing though. Babies were precious to all races, and she'd let Dwalin deal with the news however he needed to.

 ~*~

 “Okay, this is more than a little ridiculous.”

 Ori giggled at the fond exasperation on Bilbo's face. Ever since they'd announced that they were expecting a child, Dwalin had transformed from the most feared guard in Erebor into a giant, doting teddy-bear. He was rarely more than a few feet from Bilbo's side, quick to fetch anything that she requested or even mentioned. Bilbo had finally convinced him to go out for a bit and visit his brother, only for him to come back two hours later with what seemed to be the entirety of Bifur and Bofur's toy store.

 “Babe'll need toys,” Dwalin grunted, putting them away in the room that was quite rapidly being fitted out for a nursery.

 “I know that, but they'll not be born yet for another four months. They can't exactly play – oh!”

 There was a thud as Dwalin dropped what he'd been holding and ran to Bilbo's side. Actually, Ori thought he might have magically teleported he'd moved so quickly.

 “What is it? What's wrong?”

 “Nothing's wrong,” Bilbo smiled up at him, reaching out for his hand. “Just, put your hand here...” She held his hand to her stomach and waited a moment. Dwalin looked confused, then his jaw dropped and he stared at his hand.

 “That's... that's my child...”

 “Yes,” Bilbo nodded and patted his hand. Dwalin fell to his knees and nuzzled Bilbo's stomach, making Ori shift uncomfortably. This was a little more personal than he wanted to watch. Bilbo's tender smile turned to him, and she nodded. “It's okay Ori. Tell Dori that the tea he recommended was lovely, won't you?”

 “Yeah, of course,” Ori nodded and quickly gathered his things. Before he left, he saw Dwalin brush a tender kiss to Bilbo's hand, and couldn't help the smile that formed.

 When he reached his own home, Ori was delighted to hear the argument inside. Dori was in particularly fine voice, with Nori responding just as loudly. It had been months since the middle brother had been home, and Ori had missed him.

 “Hi Nori,” he greeted as he shut the door behind him. “Dori, Bilbo said thank you for the tea, it was very nice.”

 “Good,” Dori nodded towards him and bustled back into the kitchen. “I'll mix up some more. Do her good in her condition.”

 “In her condition?” Nori parroted, brow drawing down in confusion. “Is something wrong?”

 “No, not at all,” Ori was quick to reassure him, knowing the friendship between the two. “She's pregnant! Found out around Kili's birthday. The babe will be here in another four months, she said.” Puttering around, grabbing bits of food from where Dori had been preparing dinner earlier, Ori wasn't watching his brother. “Everyone was so happy to hear it. Means that they baby should be born around their anniversary. Fili and Kili were especially happy, Kili claimed that the news was a great birthday present.”

 He turned around again, only to see an empty room and the window open.

 ~*~

 Bilbo woke from a nap to the feeling of someone sliding into bed behind her. Normally Dwalin would lay at her front, and the body behind her was smaller than that of her husband, which meant...

 “Nori,” she mumbled sleepily, and received a kiss to the cheek in return.

 “Ori told me the news,” he spoke softly. “You're going to be a mother.” His hand stroked almost reverently down her front, over the significant bulge of her pregnant belly. “Is this... still okay?”

 “Of course it is,” Bilbo reassured him. “Having a baby doesn't change my feelings for you, or Dwalin's. You'll always be welcome in our hearts.” She paused for a moment. “And our bed. Definitely welcome in our bed.”

 Nori laughed, and his hand became a little firmer as it explored the changes in her body.

 “Let me guess. Dwalin's too scared to give you a proper seeing to?”

 “He thinks he'll hit the babe,” Bilbo rolled her eyes, even as she rolled onto her back and reached for Nori. “I tried telling him that his mighty warhammer isn't _that_ big, but he still wouldn't do anything more than kiss me.”

 “Hm,” Nori hummed, then leaned in to kiss her himself. “Well, he might murder me if I do what I want to you, but I'm sure he won't mind if I give you a few kisses of my own.” He waggled his eyebrows, and Bilbo laughed.

 “Have at it, then.”

 ~*~

 When Dwalin heard the delighted sounds coming from the bedroom, he glanced in and saw Nori with his head between Bilbo's legs. With a grumble of annoyance, he walked over and picked up the smaller dwarf – receiving protests from both of the others.

“She's pregnant, you dolt!”

“I'm aware of that,” Nori shot back. “Doesn't mean she's incapable of getting off.”

 “Dwalin...” Bilbo moaned, sending a shiver down Dwalin's back. “Please, I need this! We spoke to Oin, he said it was fine, remember? Please!”

 Dwalin paused. It was true that Oin had said that intercourse wouldn't cause trouble, and Bilbo had been trying to convince him to lie with her, but he just couldn't help the feeling that he was going to hurt her.

 “How about this,” Nori suggested, still hanging limply from Dwalin's grasp. “I'll lie on my back and Bilbo can ride me, and you can be right there to stop things if she makes even a wince of discomfort.”

 For a few seconds Dwalin and Bilbo shared a look.

 “That...” Dwalin coughed, trying again. “I think I can manage that.”

 ~*~

 Later, as he and Bilbo shared kisses around Dwalin's length, Nori felt very relieved that he'd come home.

 ~*~

 Throughout the rest of her pregnancy, Bilbo found herself doted on by both of her dwarves. Nori's version of doting was a little different to Dwalin's though.

 Dwalin stayed by her side, made sure that she had anything she needed, and made sure that she wouldn't come to any harm.

 Nori... well, Nori had always had a different way of looking at things.

 To start with, there was a rash of arrests that Dwalin knew Nori set up. Then Bilbo started to notice little baubles being stashed around the house – things that didn't look flashy, but that Dwalin had confirmed could be sold for decent amounts. One morning they found that the nursery had been decked out with blankets and pillows of the highest quality available within Erebor.

 “Nori's nesting,” Dwalin grinned as he rubbed Bilbo's back. “Making the place as safe as he can, making sure we'll have access to money if anything goes wrong, giving the babe the best furnishings he can.”

 “Family's important to him,” Bilbo agreed. That morning Nori had disappeared for a few hours, only to return with fresh berries he'd picked up in Dale. Bilbo had been delighted and was currently nibbling on them as an afternoon snack. “It's a shame that he has to stay separate from us in public.”

 “It's the way our laws work,” Dwalin shrugged. “Thorin had enough trouble overturning the laws that forbade two males or two females from being together, and he had public support for that. The idea of three people together in a relationship is... it simply wouldn't make sense to most dwarves. We're a fiercely jealous race.”

 “I guess I'm lucky then,” Bilbo said. “You and Nori were able to adjust to being three even with your years of being together.”

 “I wasn't sure at first. I thought that I might not be able to do it. But the sight of you two together just made me want to be with you both, and you always make sure that no one is left out.”

 “It's all about balance.”

 ~*~

 By the time Bilbo was eight months pregnant, both Dwalin and Nori had grown so protective and worried that Bilbo put herself into voluntary house arrest. She made Dwalin take her to her gardens for an hour each day, but other than that she avoided leaving the house. It seemed to calm something in her dwarves to know that she was somewhere enclosed and safe.

 Thankfully they didn't try and bar her friends from visiting her. Fili and Kili in particular visited often, whether they had lessons or not. They sometimes dragged Thorin or Dis along with them, and Bilbo was a little surprised to find that the king was actually better at dealing with a pregnant female than most of the other dwarves she'd come across.

 “Well,” Dis smiled when Bilbo commented on it, “he was a wreck when I was pregnant with Fili. Then Vili passed away when I was expecting Kili, and Thorin stepped up to take care of me. He had to deal with my temper and cravings, and by the time Kili was born he was quite good at it.” Bilbo nodded in understanding, and accepted a cup of tea from the princess. “I think he was always a little disappointed that I only had the two. He helped to raise Frerin and I, and then helped with my boys. He loves children.”

 “He should get a wife of his own then,” Bilbo pointed out. Dis laughed in agreement.

 “Believe me, I have pointed this out. I'm sure it will happen one day. Until then, if you need a night to just yourselves once the babe comes along I'm sure Thorin would be delighted to babysit.”

 “He'll have to get in line,” Bofur piped up from where she was working in the nursery. She was adding carvings to the plain wooden furniture that currently sat in there. “There are plenty of dwarves just waiting for a chance to care for the little one.”

 “Hear that?” Bilbo asked her stomach. “Not even born yet and people are already fighting for your attention. Definitely going to be a heartbreaker.”

 “Your kids'll break more than hearts,” Dis pointed out. “Dwalin might want to protect them, but I know that Fili's already planning on teaching them swordcraft himself. And Kili will want to teach them how to hunt.”

 “Not to mention your friend Nori,” Bofur added. “Vicious little sod that he is, he'll make sure they know self defence.”

 Bilbo just rolled her eyes. Honestly, dwarves were such a violent lot.

 ~*~

 A few days later Nori was lurking around while Ori and Dori shared afternoon tea with Bilbo. They'd been chatting about different birthing customs for a while, before Dori asked something that had Nori pausing.

 “I wonder how dwarf and hobbit traits will mix in the little one. Dwarven families tend to have fairly strong similarities, is it the same for hobbits?”

 “Sometimes,” Bilbo spoke thoughtfully. “In terms of build, it differs depending on the things we do – the farming families tend to be stockier than the shopkeepers, and both are more muscular than the scholars. Colouring usually follows family lines, but surprises still crop up. I mean, both my parents had hair dark as mud, but I came out more tawny. Actually, most of my mother's family were fairly dark, except for my great-grandmother. Her hair was like autumn leaves, changing from red to gold depending on the sunlight, so its possible the babe could come out with any shade of hair. I inherited my father's eyes, and my mother's features.” She paused and shrugged. “It's hard to say what the babe will look like. As long as they're healthy though, I don't mind. I'll still love them.”

 Dori cooed and Ori steered the conversation more to hobbit families, but Nori just stared at the side of Bilbo's face. The way she'd mentioned hair colours...

 No. The babe had been conceived when Nori was away, and he'd always used a sheath with Bilbo. He firmly put it out of his mind.

 ~*~

 Bilbo was beyond ready for the baby to be born when she finally went into labour, mere days before her wedding anniversary. The midwife seemed surprised at how fast it went, though Bilbo was fairly sure that ten hours wasn't particularly fast for a hobbit. Still, after all of the blood and pain and crying, she was cleaned up and feeding her son when Dwalin was finally allowed into the room.

 Dwalin sat gingerly on the side of the bed and reached out to gently stroke their son's head. He already had a thin dusting of dark hair on his head and down the sides of his cheeks, but also along the tops of his feet. His features were all well-rounded, with his ears larger than a dwarf's but smaller and less leaf-like than a hobbit. He was feeding with all the enthusiasm of any babe.

 “He's perfect,” Dwalin whispered.

 “You did well,” Nori commented. Bilbo glanced over, and saw that their spy had sneaked in through the window.

 “I'm exhausted,” Bilbo admitted, “but it was worth it. Oin says he's perfectly healthy.”

 They all watched the babe continue to feed for a while, before he let go of Bilbo and fell asleep. Dwalin leaned down and brushed a kiss to his head, then to Bilbo's lips. Bilbo smiled and then pressed the babe into his hands.

 “Here. You hold him for a bit.”

 Nori laughed at Dwalin's lost expression, then helped to arrange his hands – for while Dwalin had plenty of experience with children, he'd never really had to deal with a newborn. Nori could remember from when Ori was born, though he didn't remember his brother being quite this small.

 Then again, Nori had been a lot smaller at the time as well.

 “So,” Nori asked after a few minutes of staring at the little one, “what are we going to name him?”

 ~*~

 Little Bundin was immediately the delight of their circle of friends. Dwalin was very protective of his son, as was expected – but what surprised some was how Nori acted around the newborn. Whenever Bundin wasn't being fed by Bilbo or being changed by Dwalin, odds were good that he was in Nori's arms. It even took significant persuasive skills to get him to hand Bundin over to Dis.

 “He really does love the little one,” Bilbo murmured one evening when Bundin was six weeks old, cuddled into Dwalin's side on the couch. They could see through the nursery door to where Nori was sitting on the window-sill, legs crossed and Bundin cradled against his chest.

 “Very much,” Dwalin nodded. They watched for a while, knowing that eventually Nori would put their son down to sleep and return to their side. First, though, Bilbo had something she needed to ask her husband.

 “Dwalin,” she began softly. He tilted his head to look down at her. “Bundin... he's definitely your son. No one can argue that. But... well, you can see how Nori feels about kids. Do you think... maybe, I could throw away the sheaths? Let the others look however they will?”

 Dwalin hummed in thought, his arm rubbing up and down Bilbo's arm. She knew it was a big ask, and let him think it over. After a few minutes, he squeezed her tighter and pressed a kiss to her head.

 “Nori and I will both be fathers to them anyway. Don't matter who actually sires them.”

 Bilbo relaxed with a happy sigh.

 ~*~

 Three years later, twin girls were born with Bilbo's eyes and Nori's hair.

 They named them Eleanor and Belladonna.

 ~*~

 Ori watched as Bundin held his little sister Eleanor carefully, Nori and Dwalin either side of him. Bilbo was in the nursery feeding Belladonna, enjoying being able to move about freely. No one really said anything, but five minutes of watching Nori, Bilbo and Dwalin together – especially if the children were around – was enough to see that they weren't really a couple and their friend. There was something between all three of them, something that didn't really make sense but that seemed to work.

 It was also clear that they seemed under the impression that no one else knew. Ori found it almost adorable. Dis certainly found it hilarious that her cousin thought he could hide something from her. Fili and Kili, admittedly, hadn't figured it out until after Bundin had arrived, but they were still young, and not very good at reading body language. Dori had known the first time he'd seen them all together.

 Ori, of course, had known how his brother felt the moment Nori first laid eyes on Bilbo. He'd known that Dwalin and Nori were involved, and hadn't been sure how to deal with that knowledge. His trip to the Shire, though, had opened his eyes. There he'd seen triads surrounded by children, traditional families living all together, and female hobbits being surrogate mothers for couples consisting of two males.

 So when Nori looked like he'd been struck by lightning, and he'd seen an interested spark in Bilbo, he'd done his best to push them together, knowing that his friend could make it work.

 When it was time to leave, Ori gathered his things and gave his brother a hug.

 “I'm happy for you Nori,” he whispered. “It's so good to see you with a family.”

 Nori blinked, then grinned down at him.

 “You little... how long have you known?”

 “Since the first time you came home walking funny after Dwalin 'arrested' you. And anyway, who do you think Bilbo comes to talk to when she needs to vent about relationship issues?”

 Nori paused and stared at him a moment, then started to laugh.

 “Ori, Ori, Ori... Never change.”

 ~*~

 That night, Dwalin sat in bed and watched over his family. Bilbo was lying on her side, curled around the girls who were beside Dwalin's leg. Soon enough they'd wake and demand to be fed, after which they'd go back into their crib in the nursery, but for now it was family cuddle time. On Dwalin's other side Nori was flat on his back, Bundin curled on his chest. They were both fast asleep, even though Nori still had a hand curved around Bundin's back.

 Bilbo glanced up with tired eyes, but her expression was fond. Dwalin reached out and tucked a curl behind her ear, smiling back at her.

 When Thorin had first told him about the marriage, Dwalin had thought that his happiness was over. He'd thought that it would be a struggle to find any pleasure in a soft wife from a far away land. Instead he had a wife and a lover who loved him and each other, and three children – no matter who they looked most like. Life had never looked so good.

 He'd never been so happy to be wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thanks to everyone who's read this and commented/kudos'd. I'm thankful to all of you for encouraging me to do what I love. I'm sorry for the big pause in the middle, but at least it's finished now!
> 
> On the names: Bundin is a mix of Dwalin's father's name (Fundin) and Bilbo's father's (Bungo). Since dwarves seem to have strong familial connections in their names, I thought it'd be good to go with that for their first child. For the girls, Belladonna is (obviously) Bilbo's mother. Eleanor is a type of flower, so it's a suitably hobbit name - and still contains a slight nod to Nori being her father.
> 
> In my headcannon, Nori wants to have a big stable family, he just doesn't know how to be a stable presence for his brothers. So as soon as he gets the chance with kids of his own, he's fiercely protective and determined to always be there for them.
> 
> This may cause problems when they get to be courting age...
> 
> And finally, please let me know of any further scenes you want to see - I'm not opposed to making timestamps or possibly a sequel if I get a decent enough plot idea. If I do though, I'll write the whole thing before starting to post it.


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